Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Photo Tour of First Home of Tennessee Williams (Columbus, Mississippi)

I very much enjoyed my visit to the first home of Tennessee Williams while driving through Mississippi last month. The home, located in Columbus, was actually the home of the child's maternal grandfather, the Reverend Walter Dakin. Reverend Dakin was an Episcopal priest and this house served as the church parsonage. It has been restored and moved approximately three blocks to its current location where today it serves as both a Tennessee Williams museum and a welcome center.

The old parsonage as it looks today

This is a close-up of the historical marker outside the home. Despite the sign's implication that Williams was born in the home, the nice lady who showed me around the house told me that he was actually born in a local hospital near the home. (So who knows?)

Historical Marker Detail

As I recall, very little of the furniture, if any at all, actually belonged to the parsonage when Williams was a brief resident, but it is all of the period and includes some beautiful pieces. These are several of the rooms in the old house:

My guide was particularly proud of this piece and played a small snippet of a song on it to demonstrate what great condition it is still in.

Pump Organ

And, finally, this wreath is framed for display in one of the downstairs rooms. It was displayed on top of Tennessee Williams's coffin during his funeral ceremony.

Casket Wreath from Funeral of Tennessee Williams NYC 1983

Mississippi is filled with history on display, and much of it is of a literary nature. So, my bookish friends, keep your eyes open as you cross the state on your way someplace else or back home. There's a lot to see in Mississippi if you slow down a little and get off those damned interstate highways long enough.(Just click on any of the images for a larger view of them)Post #2,536

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